Ensemble
by La plume de Mimi
Summary: After all the hardships they faced together, this one turn out to be one of the most difficult ...


Thanks to **Ah-mandine** for that 3 ; the **English version** ~

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She found shelter in the last room down the hall of the Soul Society hospital. She had not really been looking for anything, her own legs had guided her, though they would not be able to carry her much longer.

She felt so heavy and so empty at the same time.

Upon entering, she mechanically closed the door behind her and her first instinct was to push the window wide open, to bring as much fresh air into the room as possible.

She refused to cry, or rather, she was not emotionally ready to let it go, the shock of it still echoing in her chest.

Kuchiki Rukia had a miscarriage.

Her body was in good health, at least physically, as ironic as it may seem, and it showed no disease, no viruses that she could have brought back from the human world under any circumstances, her body showed no failure, not even any antecedent due to her late sister Hisana who had succumbed to a disease, nothing to justify this painful loss.

Rukia had just lost the baby she was carrying after more than four and a half months of being pregnant.

She lowered her head and leaned against the window sill. She climbed up and positioned herself, sitting with her legs inside the room, the breeze of the late afternoon against her neck.

She nervously rubbed her hands together, thinking that it was unfair. She had even forced herself to take some rest after announcing her pregnancy of eight weeks, knowing how difficult it was for a shinigami and a human to conceive a child.

But her body had simply decided not to keep it.

Rukia felt a familiar spiritual pressure and when a few minutes later, the door began to slide in front of her, she did not look up.

The person stopped on the edge of doorstep. Rukia mentally counted ten seconds before he cleared his throat to announce his presence. The only one she could really tolerated at the moment.

- Come closer, she whispered in a hoarse voice, sounding so tired after several minutes of not speaking, her throat abnormally dry and yet close to tears.

Ichigo did as he was asked and once he had reached her level, he uttered a simple "Hey" filled with a ton of different emotions.

- Hey, she answered simply.

He too must have felt empty, as that was it, truly, the feeling in her heart.

Emptiness.

There was nothing inside her. Her unborn child had disappeared and Ichigo only could bear her discomfort, better than anyone else. After all, he too had almost become a father.

He moved his hand and slid his long fingers into hers, so small and so thin. His hand was firm, hard and a little too dry. The hand of a man who carried a Zanpakutô much heavier than himself, the hand of a man who fought almost every day in the living world, proud and arrogant.

Rukia grabbed his hand so abruptly Ichigo almost took a step back. She looked up to him and for the first time since the miscarriage had been announced, her eyes directly met someone else's. Until then, she had not been capable of going through visual contact with anyone, much less endure it.

- I'm sorry. She whispered. I-I lost the baby ...

Saying this, she burst into tears.

Ichigo pressed her against himself, cradling her as well as he could until her tears started to fall.

Rukia wept, and her hands gripped his captain's uniform in such a brutal way that he poured this tension back into the embrace he gave her.

Soon, Rukia's breathing became quieter and he looked down to her, just as she raised her head.

- I'm sorry, he whispered. So sorry. It's not your fault Rukia, it never will be ...

She sniffled loudly and Ichigo smiled a small smile before turning serious again.

- I do not want you to go through this alone. Never.

He lifted her chin and level his eyes down to her.

- Let us get through together. Ok ..?

Rukia was silent for a moment before sighing and letting a melancholy smile back on her lips.

A small miracle.

- Ok, she said simply before stepping out of his embrace.

She turned to the window that remained open behind her and took a breath of fresh air.

Maybe this was also part of their destiny. She was not very feminine to begin with, her curves were not made to fit a child. But turning to Ichigo who was now looking far beyond, she told herself she could not stay like this any longer. He too had lost someone today.

A someone they had in common.

Rukia had to seem strong, to _be _strong to carry their child again someday. She was a Kuchiki after all.

Both had gone against many rules, in Soul Society, on Earth, in Hueco Mundo ... Their union was more than difficult and fully disapproved of. But eventually, they always seemed to find each other back again.

As a loop that never stops turning.

She enjoyed one last time that Soul Society ladscape before standing back up. She grabbed Ichigo's hand, exchanging a smile. Her heart regained a little heat and she put a hand to her belly. Boy or girl, the life of this child, it had so short, and would never be ignored.

Upon leaving the room, Rukia opened the door and turned to Ichigo, before whispering:

- Together?

Ichigo nodded, a much more mature and almost paternal aura emanating from him at this moment. He was far time the 15 year old he used to be...

- Together.


End file.
